Time Will Tell
by 07Slythindor
Summary: When Hermione Granger travels to Australia to restore her parent's memories, a chance encounter with a stranger foils her plans and changes her life forever. Heading back to prepare herself for her seventh year at Hogwarts she must learn to cope while trying her best to keep her identity a secret, will it be possible when even Malfoy can tell shes not quite herself?
1. Something's never change

**Time Will Tell**

The girl sitting in front of an antique mahogany vanity sighed, her dark loose waves of hair transfigured back into their original state of bushiness and a few shades lighter. Her red eyes covered by a fabulous muggle invention called contact lenses and her pale skin expertly concealed with make-up to give her a much healthier glow. The young witch hated make-up with a passion, not finding the point in getting one's self gussied up only to impress those around her, she found it much more practical to busy herself with her studies. But she had no choice now; she had to do what she had to do, at least it appeared as though she wasn't wearing anything albeit her dark lashes looked much too thick and luxurious. It was as if she had a pair of false lashes on; she only hoped it wasn't too noticeable.

Taking one final look at herself in the mirrored vanity, she stood up at a speed that she was still not quite used to and cursed under her breath, she would have to watch how she moved from here on out. You see, this girl was no longer just the brightest witch of her age, she held a dark secret, one she couldn't even tell her two best friends about, Hermione Jean Granger was a _**vampire**_.

Looking around her room to make sure she didn't forget anything she caught a glimpse of a ring on her desk. Placing it on her finger, she gazed at the silver ring and the dark green emerald that was set at its center and inwardly thanked every higher being she could think of for the peculiar type magic that was used for this literal lifesaver known as a daylight ring. Magic she now harbored within herself.

Grabbing her trunk, she loosened her posture a bit to appear less rigid and apparated to an alleyway beside King's Cross Station, this was it, the true test was about to begin, the act of the century, she should truly be sorted into Slytherin if she passes. Plastering a smile on her face, Hermione made her way to the station towards the entry of platform nine and three quarters.

She genuinely smiled at the view in front of her, the smell of the train and the looks of excitement on the faces of the first years. She smiled at the friends who haven't seen each other since, before the final battle at Hogwarts, the hugs that were exchanged and the tears shed made her heart ache for those who would never be able to come back. As she made her way towards the train she smelled them before she could see them, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

Turning quickly on her heel she grinned with her teeth at her two best friends, opening her arms wide to embrace the two of them. Hermione managed to convince Harry to come back for their seventh year he hesitantly agreed due to her nagging about the importance of receiving an educational degree, Ron quickly agreed afterward. Although there was pain that came at the back of her throat while being so close to their necks she pushed it aside quite easily, these were the two people she loved most in the world, even her short-lived relationship with Ronald did nothing to affect the bond they shared, she wouldn't allow her thirst ruin their perception of her.

"'Mione" Harry finally broke the silence after they broke apart, "How've you been?" he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly to the side. "Would it have hurt you to owl once in a while? We were worried sick, we haven't heard from you since your short letter saying you've returned from Australia. We were about to send out the bloody Aurors to make sure you were okay." He huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms, Hermione could tell Harry spent a lot of his time at the burrow, she felt like she had just received a howler from Molly Weasley, at this point, Ron decided to chime in.

"Bloody hell 'Mione, we thought you didn't want to speak to us anymore, 'specially after everything that happened between you 'n me." he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I thought we were okay."

She looked sadly at her two friends and opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the train's conductor stating it was the last call for passengers. She exhaled in relief and walked towards the train inwardly thanking the conductor for time to think of her reply.

Once she entered the train, Hermione walked toward the trios usual compartment and found that it was empty. The sight made the young witch want to cry, it would be their last time going to Hogwarts as students, and although she had much to hide and it wouldn't be easy for her, she prayed it would be simple for Harry, hopefully, his most boring year yet. The boy who lived didn't need any more pressure on him, with everything that has happened surely that wouldn't be too much to ask for, right?

She sank into her usual spot with Ron to her left and Harry on the bench in front of them; she quickly got to work on her apology. "I'm so sorry...," Hermione inhaled, something she no longer needed to do but still came as second nature to her, what could she say, old habits died hard, and in her current situation it was a good habit to have. "In Australia, I couldn't reverse the obliviate I cast on my parents, I tried and tried to figure out what went wrong but to no avail." It wasn't until Harry reached over and gave her a light squeeze on the knee did she realize she had tears trailing down her cheeks.

The tears that fell were not tears for her parents, no, Hermione Granger knew perfectly well how to reverse the damage she had done to her family, she just never had the opportunity to do it. You see, she met Him there, the man who gave her the gift (she did use the term gift very loosely) of immortality, and his name was Elijah Mikaelson, a type of vampire not even the wizarding world knew existed, he was an Original.

"We're sorry 'Mione," Harry looked at his friend, no sister, with such sadness in his eyes green eyes that it only further broke the Gryffindor princess's heart. Ron draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her to him, "Ya 'Mione; we'll help you figure out what to do, maybe you should've let us come with you in the first place." Hermione wanted to cry again, as she looked at the two people she loved most in the world, she wanted to tell them the truth, she truly did want them to go with her, but she couldn't allow them to feel guilty. After the war, she left nearly immediately to go to Australia, and while Harry and Ron did offer, she knew they needed time to grieve especially Ron who needed to stay with his family after the loss of his brother Fred.

The pain that came with lying to her best friends was certainly never going to fade, she could only imagine how angry they would be with her for withholding such a significant aspect of her life, but she was scared. Terrified really, Hermione was now a being who had an entire chapter dedicated to it in Defence Against the Dark Arts, although, she was not the same type of vampire she learned about, she was a whole new species that even Elijah Mikaelson couldn't explain. They believed it had something to do with her magical blood, a type of magic that not even Originals knew existed. And as she sat there in front of Harry and Ron, under the protection of glamour and concealment charms, she realized what a truly lonely existence she now had; she could only ever be herself when she was alone.

The knock on the compartment door pulled them all out of their thoughts and Hermione had to stifle a laugh when she caught the look of absolute glee that laced Ron's features at the sight of the Honeyduke's Express cart. The feeling of Nostalgia nearly made her forget all of her problems and struggles she would have to face in the upcoming year. The feel ended as quickly as it came when she remembered the most important aspect of her new life, feeding. Thankfully Hermione had been appointed head girl this year and therefore would have her own quarters in the castle, yet another wave of sadness wracked her mind, she wouldn't be staying in her beloved Gryffindor Tower this year. Another problem she would have to face would be to convince the head boy to give her control of the patrols after curfew.

As Ronald stuffed his face with handful after handful of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and the variety of other sweets which he shared with Harry, Hermione sipped on iced pumpkin juice. The thick air between the three slowly began to dissipate which lead to the trio reminiscing about the old times, a time before everything was ripped away from the each of them. They spoke of times of happiness, fear, sorrow, the very stepping-stones to the unbreakable bond they now shared, and as the train made its way closer and closer towards Hogwarts, the sugar finally caught up with the two boys who fell into a comfortable slumber.

As two-thirds of the golden trio slept, with Ron snoring slightly, Hermione smiled at how peaceful they appeared, if someone were to gaze at these two boys, they would never believe the pain they have both experienced. With a sad smile on her face, she turned towards the window with thoughts of secrets that would make her unfavorable to the compartment members, issues for once in her life, she would have to face alone, not even Elijah would be there to guide her.

Harry Potter, who had woken just moments before, nudged his adopted sister awake when the train came to a halt. Hermione woke with a start, rubbing her eyes, she glanced around her realizing she was on the Hogwarts Express and let out a shaky breath of relief. She looked up to see Harry peculiarly staring at her, his eyebrows furrowed in thought; this made the girl nervous turning to look at her reflection in the window, she appeared relatively normal her eyes dry from the contacts but still covered in the faux brown. Little did Miss. Granger know was that when rubbing her eyes, Harry noticed a slight shift in color, which he chalked up to his imagination for the moment. "Must have had too much sugar." Harry thought to himself.

"We're here 'Mione, are you prepared for a spectacularly boring final year?" he asked. Hermione chuckled and nodded before turning her attention to a drooling Ron Weasley. Scrunching her face in disgust, she spoke. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, do you not have any manners!?" she stated exasperatedly, "If you're going to do something so revolting, do so in the confines of your bed!" the yelling startling the Ginger awake, which in turn caused him to fall off of the seat with a bang.

"Bloody 'ell 'Mione, What're ya on about?" he said rubbing his head, she chuckled before replying. "We're here Ronald, please wipe off the dribble from your chin and straighten yourself out." He replied gruffly before taking his sleeve and wiping his face, Hermione cringed in disgust.

The trio stood together near the door of their compartment making sure to straighten their robes. Hermione smiled and pulled them both in for a hug "Let's go, it would be frowned upon for the head girl to be late." Harry smiled at her and Ron rolled his eyes, "Still the same old Hermione." they said simultaneously which in turn caused the girl to roll her eyes and chuckle.

Harry and Ron exited the compartment first while Hermione made sure to cast a quick scourgify on the seat which Ron drooled on. Praising her self she smiled at the now clean spot, she turned and made her way out of the compartment only to ram right into a strangers chest and fall on top of them, hitting her head on the way down. Had Hermione not been a Vampire, she was sure this little inconvenience would have left her with a few bumps and bruises even if a stranger broke her fall. Absentmindedly rubbing her head, she went to move to look up at who exactly it was she knocked over so that she could properly apologize. The instant Hermione shifted her head she regretted that slight movement, never in her short existence of being a Vampire had the scent of blood impacted her in such a way, it was a nearly torturous pain at the back of her throat. She felt her fangs beginning to poke themselves from under her gums, could feel her instincts kicking in. With all the strength she could muster she held her breath and willed herself to look up, what felt like an hour in actuality must have been a few seconds, as she opened her mouth to speak she was cut off by the stranger.

"Merlin Granger, get off of me." Scoffed a familiar voice that held a rasp of annoyance tinged with a hint of superiority. That voice, a sound she thought she would never have to hear at Hogwarts again, the voice of none other than the bouncing ferret himself, Draco Lucius Malfoy. Instantly she was snapped back to reality, using a speed she could only hope passed off as human, she was on her feet, a look of disgust gracing her features.

"If you were only watching where you were going _Malfoy_ , we wouldn't have to deal with this right now." she crossed her arms, she knew Malfoy was not at fault this time, but she would never apologize to the ferret, he did not deserve her remorse.

Rolling his eyes and huffing in annoyance, he stood, "That is rich coming from you mudblood, you're the one who ran into me." He growled, clutching his arm. It was at that moment she noticed the blood trickling down. "Look what you did, If-" At this moment Harry and Ron turned around, noticing that Hermione wasn't behind them, they arrived just in time to witness the verbal assault between the Slytherin ferret and the Gryffindor Princess.

Hermione snapped "What Malfoy? What were you going to do 'have your father hear about this!?'" She mocked. "Sorry ferret, he won't be much help from his cell in Azkaban!" Hermione spat in reply, her blood boiling, without even giving that blonde git time to retort she turned on her heel and stomped off towards the exit of the train, the smell of blood nearly driving her mad with thirst. Harry and Ron quickly followed her after shooting glares of hatred towards Malfoy.

"Somethings never change, huh Harry?" Ron asked as they jogged after Hermione. Harry chuckled "No Ron, the never do."

 **Author's Note** : Welcome to Time Will Tell! I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter! Although I uploaded on AO3 and Wattpad I would also like to have this out for the readers who only read on this site. Thank you for taking your time to read this, I appreciate it a lot. :)

-N.A. Baker


	2. The Letter M

"That, that arrogant bloody ferret!" Hermione huffed as she stomped towards the thestral drawn carriages that lead to Hogwarts, the other two-thirds of the Golden Trio jogging to keep up with her.

"The nerve-," "Hermione!" she stopped abruptly, turning to face the person who so rudely cut her off. "What!?" she growled. "Calm down, he isn't worth it," Harry said while placing a hand on to her shoulder in a comforting gesture in hopes of calming her down. Harry had never seen his best friend get angry this quickly, but it was Malfoy, and he didn't know if he could blame her reaction, no matter how odd it might have been.

Ronald Weasley still panting from the jog, the sweets seemed to be catching up with him once again. "Yeah-" the ginger panted "and ya mind slowing it down a bit 'Mione?" Hermione let out the breath of frustration she didn't realize she was holding and nodded while looking at both of her friends. "He just gets under my skin, honestly did that git not learn a thing from the war!?" she shook her head.

Ron decided to chime in "Malfoy will always be Malfoy, that bloody ferret will never learn a thing." Hermione and Harry nodded in unison.  
"You're right," She replied, "he isn't worth it, I will not allow Malfoy to ruin our last year at Hogwarts...especially not our first day back."

The Trio continued the rest of the walk to the carriages in a comfortable silence, as they climbed into the carriage Hermione admired the Thestrals, beings that now so many could see, they were remarkable and beautiful in their way. The Thestrals themselves seemed to be slightly agitated, possibly due to the fact they weren't used to being paid attention to; that in itself was a sad thought.

"No amount of reading about them genuinely explains what they look like, the Thestrals." She said to Harry and Ron who were cut -off before they could reply by a platinum blonde climbing into their carriage.

"Hello, Harry." Said Luna with a smile. "Oh Hermione and Ronald, hello to you as well." Both replied with a nod and a smile. "Hello Luna," Hermione replied, "It's so lovely to see you again." Luna gave her a big smile "It's good to see you as well." She reached over to hug Hermione. "Oh, I hope you don't mind me sitting here, I seen Harry and thought it would be nice to see some friendly faces." said Luna as a flush of pink graced her cheeks. Had Hermione not been a vampire she wouldn't have even noticed the slight change, but not much could go past her, not even the small jump in heart rate coming from a mister Harry Potter.

"It's no trouble at all Luna," Harry said quickly, a blush sweeping his cheeks as well which caused Hermione to raise an eyebrow.

"Could Harry have a crush on Luna? When would that have happened?" Thought Hermione, "What about Ginny? Could they have possibly broken up? That would explain why Ginny wasn't glued to Harry, but why wouldn't Harry say anything if that were the case." Thoughts raced through her head at a mile a minute; Although the idea of Harry keeping her out of the loop when it came to Ginny bothered her, she couldn't possibly blame him, the Gryffindor princess had too many secrets of her own.

At the sight of the newly reconstructed great hall, the memories of what transpired on May the second instantly filled her with pain, the scars were still so fresh. The half empty tables did nothing to ease the ache, the silence of those lost was deafening. Hermione grabbed hold of Harry and Ron's hands and walked toward the Gryffindor table and waited for the newly appointed Headmistress to begin her welcoming speech.

Moments later, Minerva McGonagall stepped towards the podium clearing her throat as she began to speak. "Good Evening all, to the first years welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to our returning students welcome back and a thank you to the returning seventh years for continuing your education." applause rang throughout the hall. "So much has happened these past months but with the downfall of Voldemort comes a new age of prosperity that will lead to the unification of the Wizarding world." Hermione glanced towards the Slytherin table, all of its inhabitants seemed to shift uncomfortably, even Draco Malfoy looked like he felt out of place. By the time she brought her attention back to McGonagall, the Sorting hat was already singing.

When the sorting was all over, and the Gryffindor table full, the welcoming feast began. Hermione and Harry looked at Ronald in a mix of awe and disgust, how could he possibly be hungry. "Wha-?" he tried to speak through his mouthful of food after noticing their eyes on him. "How could you possibly eat any more?" Harry snickered at Hermione's question. "Geez, Hermione, you've only been gone a couple of months, Rons still very much Ron," Harry said while smirking. Hermione had to agree this was nothing new but the sight of what resembled Ron making love to a chicken leg repulsed her like no other. "At least chew with your mouth closed; honestly your lack of manners is astounding." a simple shrug was his reply.

Midway through the feast McGonagall once again made an announcement. "At precisely nine o'clock this evening, I ask that the head girl and head boy meet at my office, you know who you are. I will not tolerate tardiness. That is all."

After saying goodbye to her friends for the night, Hermione made her way towards the headmistresses office, excited to finally be able to see her new quarters and remove all of her charms and makeup. As she reached the griffin statue, she waited until eight fifty-eight before deciding to go. Just as she was about to enter McGonagall's a head of white blonde hair caught her attention, Striding arrogantly through the halls with a smirk plastered on his lips was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"You've got to be joking" Hermione whispered, she must have said it louder than intended because Draco's head snapped towards her, his smirk instantly turning into a scowl. Rolling her eyes, she headed inside McGonagall's office without a word in fear of starting another fight.

"Ah, Miss Granger punctual as always, please take a seat." Minerva gestured to the two seats in front of the large desk she sat behind. "You as well Mister Malfoy."

Hermione clicked her tongue and refused to glance his way, what was McGonagall thinking? Why on earth would Malfoy even be a candidate for head boy? So much for ignoring him for the rest of the year.

"Now Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy, I am sure you are well aware of the responsibilities that come with being appointed head boy and head girl. And sensing the tension in the room, I believe I must address some rules. Fighting will not be tolerated, sabotage, framing, failing to communicate with one and other will result in the instant loss of your titles. Do I make myself clear?" asked McGonagall with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," replied Hermione and Malfoy in unison.

"You were both chosen for this task due to your grades and to help promote house unity. Now if you do not have any questions let us make our way towards your shared dormitory." at the mention of a shared dormitory Hermione's eyebrows raised.

"Headmistress, did you say shared dormitory? I was under the impression that the head boy and girl were in separate dorms?" She asked. This was not good, her whole plan for getting through this year counted on her having her own space. How would she be able to hide her secret from Malfoy of all people? She could imagine the problems he was going to cause her.

"Yes Miss Granger, to promote house unity, you both will share a dormitory, separate quarters of course, with a shared common room separating you from the other." McGonagall replied. "Now follow me, no time to waste."

Draco stood first, followed by Hermione, his uncharacteristic silence was aggravating; she could hardly wait until McGonagall was gone, she was almost certain the nonsense would start spewing from his mouth once more.

Standing in front of a portrait of Albus Dumbledore Hermione's heart ached, she truly missed the old man.

"Ah, Minerva, lovely to see you again. You as well Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy." The portrait nodded and smiled, a slight twinkle in his eye. These portraits would never fail to awe Hermione.

"Albus." Minerva nodded back. "Lovely to see you, I'm bringing Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy to view their new dormitory. As you already know."

"Yes yes, but of course." He nodded in reply.

"It's truly lovely to see you again Professor," Hermione interjected. "Harry will be ecstatic to learn your portrait is here." she said happily. Malfoy scoffed and rolled his eyes. She sent him a dirty look. The least he could do was say hello.

Dumbledore nodded. "If you would Miss Granger, the password please."

"Ah yes, Unity." the portrait door opened to reveal a spectacular living space with a large fireplace and decorations of red and green.

McGonagall cleared her throat. "I shall leave you to it, your duties begin tomorrow, I expect you both to be on your best behavior, good night." Hermione nodded "Good night professor."

Hermione turned to admire the space and to give Draco a piece of her mind regarding her privacy only to be met by the sound of his bedroom door slamming. She shrugged her shoulders and made her way to opposite side of the room, opening the large wooden door with a carving of a lions head at its center.

The room was large and spacious with a four-poster bed adorned with red and gold linens; a desk, vanity, and closet filled the rest of the room. A door located on the left wall hid a full bathroom. Maybe hiding her secret wouldn't be that difficult, she honestly had no reason to mingle with Malfoy and with the burn at the back of her throat being extremely bothersome, she just had to avoid him at all cost. Hermione had to remind herself; things are easier said than done.

Closing her door and locking it, she made her way towards her trunk, pulling out a pair of pajamas she was interrupted by a loud knocking at her window. Hermione jumped back, startled, and made her way towards the sound; she was met with a pair of shiny black eyes belonging to a large Raven. Opening the window he jumped inside, lifting his leg to show the letter that was attached to it. She carefully untied the letter and beamed widely at the large red wax seal embossed with the letter M.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello everyone! I would like to start off by saying thank you for over 200 views! :'D**

 **I would also like to apologize for the delay in between chapter, I recently lost my Grandmother, and I have now just gotten the motivation to continue writing again.**

 **This chapter was filler, and I look forward to writing about how Hermione was changed in chapter 3.**


	3. Changed

She carefully untied the letter and beamed widely at the large red wax seal embossed with the letter M.

Hermione turned towards the glorious black raven who had seemed to make itself at home on top of her large leather trunk and shrugged deducing that it must have been left with instructions to wait for a reply.

Hermione's heart raced with anticipation; she could only imagine what was written on the expensive parchment. Prior to opening the envelope, she decided to get more comfortable; stepping into the modest bathroom she turned towards the mirror, dropping her toiletries onto the vanity top and began to remove her honey brown contact lenses revealing the vivid ruby red irises that hid underneath. The sight of them still sent shivers down her spine. With a swish of her wand, she removed the careful glamour charms and makeup revealing the beautiful creature that lay beneath. This wasn't Hermione Granger, in fact, she didn't know who she truly was anymore, she wasn't the facade that she put on day by day. She felt like a monster. While looks had never mattered to the courageous Gryffindor, she never truly thought of herself as anything pretty, until now. Hermione couldn't help but find herself to be beautiful with her pale flawless skin and silky dark chocolate brown tresses that fell in loose waves just grazing the small of her back. Her eyes while surprising were a new shade of red all together with flecks of gold around the pupil. She would have never called herself out of shape before by any means but now she was perfectly toned. Her new appearance was positively breathtaking. A perfect lure to help the process of taming the incessant burn of her throat.

Her transformation from a human to a vampire truly changed her in every way, Hermione was just glad she had her same attitude, minus the blood lust. there was one thing bothering her above all else. why exactly did she have red eyes while her sire had continued to keep his natural coloring? Why exactly did he look human, when she looked so completely different.

Hermione peered at herself in the mirror one last time before hopping into the shower for a quick rinse, using a spell to dry her hair and body she was out and dressed in under ten minutes. Slipping on a robe she shuffled back to the large mahogany desk, taking a quick glance at the now dozing Raven she plopped down upon the chair, picked up the envelope, and broke the seal.

The instant the wax seal was broken her senses were bombarded by all that was him. The scent of his ridiculously expensive cologne, parchment, peppermint, and something that was so uniquely him. Hermione could bet that even without her heightened senses she would be able to pick him out in a crowd, blindfolded. The elegant script was so perfect it appeared as though it had taken nearly a millennia to perfect, she supposed it quite literally had. Holding her breath she began to read.

Dearest Witch,

I am writing to inform you of my intent to reside in that magical community known as Hogsmeade. It would appear that this town would be the safest place to conceal myself from Niklaus for the time being. The untraceable location will most definitely be in my favor. making it the best place to begin my research regarding the plague known as the hollow. I do request your presence on Saturday, you know how to find me. Lastly, Hermione, do not allow your worries to govern your life. Your compassion is a gift, carry it with you always. As I will carry my regret.

Always and forever,

E. Mikealson.

Hermione smiled to herself. He took her advice. He was coming to Hogsmeade. As she read the letter, again and again, his scent took over her senses and she was whisked back to a time much simpler than her current situation, a time when she was still human.

The day was Friday, May 15, a clear Australian morning. The sun shined bright and warm on her face as she walked up to the steps of the small bakery owned by Wendall and Monica Wilkins. With a deep breath and her chin held high she pushed the entrance door open and took her first steps with courage. The familiar scent of her mother's extraordinary chocolate chip cookies filled her senses, encompassing her in a feeling of warmth. She was so lost in the moment that she had nearly missed the cheerful greeting that was sent in her direction, if it hadn't been for the sound owners of the voice, she would have completely been oblivious to it.

"Hello!" rang the call of the petite bakery owner.

And there she was, Monica Wilkins, her mother. Hermione had to stop herself from rushing to embrace the woman, so instead, she let out a very shaky reply. As she looked around the small bakery, she noticed nearly every table was taken, the shop was full of people of all ages eating her mother's cookies and various other desserts, as they laughed together sipping coffee or tea. It was when she was observing the line that wrapped around the small that she noticed a sign advertising 'FREE COOKIES TODAY ONLY'.

Curious Hermione got in line, as she got closer to the register, she could overhear nearly every person telling her mother congratulations after each nearly two-minute conversation. The curiosity was truly starting to get to her, as she watched Monica work, she couldn't believe her eyes, she had never seen her mother look so truly happy in all of her existence.

About five minutes later Hermione finally had only one person in front of her, It was then that she was able to successfully eavesdrop on the conversation between her mother and the customer. "To what do I owe congratulations for Mrs. Wilkins?" questioned the adorable old man. Monica chuckled and smiled before replying.

"Well Mr. Ferguson, everything is finally falling into place! Not only are we living out our dreams, running a bakery but Wendall and I are finally expecting!" Her mother exclaimed excitedly. "We've been trying for years and it's finally paid off!"

Mr. Ferguson cracked a charming smile. "Well that is truly spectacular news Mrs. Wilkins." he watched as she bagged his sweets and calculated his order total. "Do you know the gender?"

"No, it's too early," Monica replied. "I will be happy as long as he or she is healthy. But I do truly hope for a girl you see I have the name all picked out and everything!" she explained. "My little Hermione."

It was at the sound of her name that Hermione realized she had stopped breathing. Her mother was pregnant, that news truly changed the situation. She needed to leave and fast. Hermione dashed out of the door and down the steps. in her stupor she missed the last one and felt herself tumbling to the ground face first, she quickly shut her eyes and with a shriek braced herself with her hands anticipating the impact, but it never came. After what felt like hours passed she opened her eyes and found that she was mere inches from the hard concrete below and it was at that same moment that she realized the hands that held her firmly in their grasp.

"Are you all right?" asked the mystery man as he hauled her to her feet. The sound of his honey-like voice made Hermione's mouth go dry as she turned to meet the eyes of her rescuer.

"I am, thank you." She replied quietly, hoping it was loud enough for him to hear.

The gentleman was the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes upon. He had mid-length chestnut brown hair with mahogany brown colored eyes. He was dressed in an impeccable suit, despite the warm temperature and he smelled divine.

The mystery man smiled at her and asked for her name.

"Granger" she stammered before clearing her throat. "Hermione Granger."

"What a lovely name." He replied smoothly. "Well, I must be going. have a lovely day." He turned and paused.

"Oh, and Miss Granger,"

"Yes?"

"Do be careful." he smiled and walked away.

"Of all the times to be at a loss for words, it had to be now." Hermione chastised herself before realizing she forgot to ask for his name, but when she looked up, he was nowhere to be seen.

As the hours passed and the sun began to set over the horizon, Hermione still had not made up her mind regarding her parents. On one hand, her Mother had never appeared more carefree and happy for as long as she could remember. Would it be cruel, she wondered, to shatter this perfect illusion and bring them back to reality? But yet on the other hand, could she go the rest of her life without speaking to her parents? To never meet her future sibling? The back and forth in her mind was beginning to give her a headache, and her feet were sore from walking around for the better part of the afternoon. As she wandered through the streets wallowing in self-pity, her stomach decided to make itself known. It was then she realized she hadn't eaten a thing all day. Looking around she noticed a swanky looking gastropub across the street, eager to appease her hunger she made her way towards the entrance.

Pushing open the door, she stepped in and took in the quaint lounge. It was quite small on the inside, the massive bar seemed to take up most of the left side of the room, with rows of bar stools lining the length of it. on the other side of the room, there were a couple of tables which were all filled with patrons watching the T.V.'s mounted on the walls. the interior was very posh, most of the guests were well dressed which made Hermione feel a bit out of place in her shorts and slightly baggy t-shirt she got from a summer fair a couple of years back.

Scanning the room once more she noticed that the only free space was at the end of the bar, as she made her way towards it she could only hope that the man sitting there wasn't a creep.

Hermione sat down and began reading the illuminated menu that hung on the wall. Everything sounded fantastic but when the bartender asked for her order she went for a burger and fries, with a soda on the side. The food came quickly and surprisingly tasted amazing. Just as she was mid-way through her meal, the man sitting next to her turned to face her. He was clearly inebriated.

"You are quite the pretty little thing aren't you?" he slurred, before raising his hand to graze the bare skin above her knee and squeezing it. Hermione shuddered at his touch, her heart picking up in fear. Just as she was about to say something to get the lecherous hands of his off of her a man came to her rescue.

"I believe you've had quite enough." Said the man sternly.

"And who do you think you are?" slurred the drunk angrily. "Get yourself your own whore."

Hermione's blood boiled, how dare he. She was getting ready to yell his ear off when her rescuer spun the man's chair around to face him. He looked into the eyes of the drunkard and said in a low even voice.

"You will apologize to the young woman sitting next to you and you will stand up and leave this place, never to pick up the bottle again. "

and like a robot the man turned towards her and gruffed out an apology before heading out the entrance door and into the night. Hermione watched in amazement unsure of what exactly had just happened, did this man place her would-be attacker under an imperious curse? So many questions zoomed through her head.

"Did I not warn you to be more careful Miss. Granger?" drawled the man's voice, causing her to jump.

"How do yo-" she started before getting a proper view of his face. "Oh! it's you!" she gasped.

"Indeed, it is." He smirked. "Now I apologize for having to cut this short but I have some important business to attend to. Have a lovely night." He winked with eyes that appeared to have seen right through her. Hermione blushed and looked down, recalling that once again she never asked for his name. You could have imagined her surprise when she looked back up a second later to notice he was not there. She scanned the small area and noticed the door just closing behind him. It was like he walked so lightly he floated.

Hermione in a rush to catch up to him quickly reached for what she knew was too much for her meal, and threw the money onto the bar and hurriedly ran out after him. She just had to know his name. But when she got outside, he wasn't there. Hermione huffed and went in the direction she saw him go when she heard muffled voices coming from the alleyway a few storefronts away from the pub.

Hermione being ever the Gryffindor decided to examine what exactly it was that she was hearing. This would prove to have been a pivotal moment in her life. As she turned the corner into the alleyway, as quiet as a mouse, she noticed two figures in what looked like an embrace. She blushed, embarrassed for having snuck upon such an intimate moment. that was until she heard an extremely faint noise that sounded like gargling coming from the figure against the wall. She gulped and stepped back, perhaps this was a mugging of some kind but whatever it was, something told her she had to get away and fast. But alas, it was too late, her fate was set the moment she turned the corner into that alleyway."

She moved not yet a foots length backward when she accidentally stepped onto an empty bag of crisps that someone must've thrown into the alley. Her heart stopped, The sound of the bag felt as though it echoed louder than the cars passing by. Her eyes widened as the figure leaned against the wall fell to the floor with a loud thump. She gulped as the man standing farthest from the wall turned towards her at an agonizingly slow pace. She reached for her wand and muttered a curse to herself when she realized she left it in her hotel room. She took another step back and gasped when the face of the man was revealed. He was her rescuer. His eyes were completely black, He had no whites to them at all. Horrific eyes that were devoid of emotion. It was when her gaze finally reached his mouth that she screamed and took another step back. It was covered in blood, and when he licked his lips the glisten of large fangs shone in the moonlight.

Hermione turned on her heel and ran, she had to get away from the monster that loomed in the alleyway. She took one step and another before she tripped and was falling. Her eyes widened and she felt a hand grasp for her however they were too late. she could feel the material of her shirt slip right through the person's fingers and as she looked up she saw the yellow headlights of an SUV coming undeviatingly towards her.

The deafening crunch that followed the crash echoed through the quiet street. Hermione was thrown through the air and landed in a heap a few feet from the truck. Her head hit the ground with sickening force. She heard voices but she couldn't make out what was being said. Someone was leaning over her. She couldn't see clearly but she felt a hot liquid enter her mouth and filling it. "drink, drink." she caught but found it difficult to comply. She coughed hard, choking as it overflowed, she managed to swallow a bit, before her eyes slid shut and her breathing slowed as she drifted into the darkness.


	4. Resurrected

Someone was leaning over her, she couldn't see clearly, but she felt a hot liquid enter her mouth and filling it. "drink, drink." she caught but found it difficult to comply. She coughed hard, choking as it overflowed, she managed to swallow a bit, before her eyes slid shut and her breathing slowed as she drifted into the darkness.

Hermione woke with a start, taking quick breaths, she sat up, looking around at her unfamiliar surroundings. The sun was shining into the strange room. She heard a noise to her right; her head turned towards it. A man who seemed to be in his mid-twenties was sat in a chair, flipping casually through a book. Her eyes widened in realization. "You're awake." He stated without looking up from his book.

"Y-you," Hermione stammered, her throat burning, the memories from the previous night began to flood her mind.

"Who are you?" she questioned, fear evident in her voice. She looked down and screeched at the sight of her bloodied clothes. Hermione's eyes darted around the room before landing on the door opposite her. She made a run for it, but before she could even reach it, he was there. The man moved faster than anything she had ever seen. She made to scream, but he covered her mouth with his large hand and guided her back towards the chair he was previously sitting in.

"I will not hurt you, Miss Granger, unless you make a run for it." He said cooly. "You have my word."

Hermione trembled in his grasp, now knowing full well she could never outrun him. She internally slapped herself for forgetting to take her wand. He looked at her with a perplexed look before saying. "Nod, if you understand, and you will not leave this room." Gulping, she nodded, sitting down in the chair he lead her to. The man removed his oddly cold hand from her lips.

She watched as he adjusted the perfectly knotted tie around his neck. Slipping his one hand into his pocket, he looked at her with blazing intensity.

"My name is Elijah Mikaelson, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Granger." He said his name as though she should fear it, but it wasn't the name she feared, it was the man himself.

"And how do you know my name?" She questioned quietly.

"You had Identification in your bag." she nodded, not daring to ask the stranger why he would dare go through her things.

"What are you, why did you bring me here?" She asked more confidently, gesturing to the odd room.

"Well, Miss Granger, I am a Vampire. An Original Vampire to be precise." His voice even, without a hint of dishonesty. Hermione jerked in her seat, she knew it, but he looked all wrong. He wasn't gaunt and pale like Sanguini, and other Vampires she's seen and read about around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

"As for how you've found yourself in this position," He continued. "Do you honestly not recall the accident?"

More bits and pieces of the previous night came back, she remembered running away after she witnessed him feeding, and then a distant crash. That still did not explain why she was here and not at a hospital or something. She felt fine, well minus the hunger pains and burning in the back of her throat. She had to get out of here.

"That still does not answer my question," Hermione stated, she was utterly terrified.

He chuckled, leaving her wide-eyed. How was any of this humorous?

"Well, after you so rudely disrupted my feeding, you ran in front of an oncoming car. You were severely injured, and for a reason, I still can not fathom, I was drawn to you, so I offered my blood in an attempt to save you. But alas, it did not work, you passed on in my arms." He removed his hand from his pocket and proceeded to adjust what appeared to be a costly watch.

Hermione was on the verge of a breakdown, her stomach pains increasing. "B-but that can not be possible, as you can clearly see, I am perfectly fine."

He sighed exasperatedly, "You passed on with my blood in your system, Miss Granger." Hermione looked at him, perplexed. "Meaning you are currently in the midst of your transition, and if you do not consume blood within the next few hours, they will indeed be your last."

Hermione felt the world beneath her feet stop spinning. "No, you must be mistaken, I can not be a vampire. For starters, you do not appear anything like the vampires I have read about. This is a sick, cruel joke, and I do not want any part of it." Tears began rolling down her cheeks, she couldn't possibly be anything other than human.

She stood up, exasperated as the tears flowed down her cheeks, she could not believe the lies coming out of his mouth. "Me?" she thought. "Plain ole Hermione Granger, a Vampire? how utterly absurd." She began pacing the room, her throat felt like it was on fire, and her eyes hurt whenever she passed in front of the sunlight coming in through the large window. She wanted to go home.

"I have to go," Hermione said through her tears. "This is just ridiculous, and logically, none of this makes any sense." She made her way towards the door but was once again stopped by Elijah.

"I believe it would be in your best interest to stay a little while." He said matter-of-factly. Hermione stopped crying and shook her head. She did not believe him, she was scared and had basically been kidnapped by a complete stranger. "If you would move, please, I really must be going."

Elijah's patience was beginning to wear thin. "I assure you, Miss Granger, everything that I have told you is the truth." He could tell she was still having trouble accepting what he had told her. He could feel the fear radiating off of her, and at that moment, he made the decision to show her his vampire form.

Elijah leaned forward, eyes level with hers, and Hermione could only watch in horror as the whites of his eyes turned a sickening red, veins popped up and streaked down his face, and the most horrible aspect of it all were the intimidating white fangs. She wanted to scream and run, but she was frozen in place. "Impossible." She whispered, if he didn't look like her typical vampire before, he certainly didn't now.

She took a few steps backward, her breathing quickening as she stared at him. "Please, don't hurt me," she whispered, "If you could just let me go."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "Miss Granger, I have already explained the situation. I will not harm you, but you are in transition," he emphasized.

Hermione refused to believe it. "I can not be. I feel fine." she watched as his eyes returned to their natural color, and his fangs snapped back up into his gums. Now that she thought about it, her gums really ached.

Elijah cleared his lightly cleared his throat. "As time goes on, the symptoms will get worse," he said matter of factly. "The hunger will become unbearable. Your throat will feel as though it was being scrapped by sandpaper that was lit on fire." Hermione's resolve was ebbing with each word he said.

"At this moment, your eyes are aching. Your gums throbbing." He continued, reaching into the inside pocket of his finely tailored blazer and pulling out what appeared to be a blood bag. "These are all signs of either the beginning of the end or the start of a new beginning." He looked her in the eyes. "The choice is yours, Miss Granger," Tossing the bag towards her, which she instinctively reached out for and clumsily caught. "What will it be?"

Hermione gripped the bag tightly, not really knowing what to do. Thoughts swirled through her head. The denial she was feeling was fading as the reality of the situation sank in. "How long," she whispered so low, not even the vampire could hear it. "I'm sorry?" he questioned.

"How long!" she nearly shouted. "How long before I have to make my final decision!?" frustration lacing her tone, her bottom lip quivering again. He looked at his watch and debated for a fraction of a second. "Six hours, due to the nature of your injuries, you lost a lot of time."

Hermione took a shaky breath. Six hours, to make the most important decision of her existence. Tears began flowing again as her body shook with silent sobs. What would Harry and Ron think? She would be a monster. She would hurt people; that was something she never would dream of doing, not even to Malfoy. "I need a moment."

Elijah nodded. "I understand that this is a lot to take in, I shall wait outside the door, call for me if you need anything." He was gone before she could even blink.

Hours passed as Hermione weighed her options, and as time went on, the pain increased exponentially, her breaths becoming shallower, her face so pale, and her eyes felt as though she was looked directly into the sun. She looked around her at the various lists she had written using a borrowed pen and paper, reciting the pros and cons of this drastic decision. She debated, and debated, and debated some more, her eyes flashing to the bag sitting on the nightstand beside her, the burning in her throat reached an all-time high, but this decision would be hers and hers alone.

She lay in bed once again, watching the sunset over the horizon, she knew her time was drawing to a close. She felt so weak and tired, and all she could think about was the pain. She had made the decision about an hour prior when Elijah had agreed to the request of walking with her outside. She wanted to feel the sun one last time.

Hermione thought she felt at peace with her decision to not become a monster. But with the blood bag staring at her and the thoughts of devastating, both Harry and Ron flooding her mind. Could she really leave them so soon after the war? After all the loss they had already experienced? She just knew if she never were to come back, Harry would somehow find a way to blame himself, and obviously, so would Ronald. Thoughts of her best friends and everyone she knew and loved flooded her mind, Harry, Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, George, Ginny, Luna, the list could go on and on. And hell truth be told she wasn't ready to go.

She felt selfish as she used the last of her energy to reach for the plastic bag, She had to do this quick before any of her resolve went away. Her hand wrapped around the flimsy plastic, and as she pulled it towards her, it felt as though it weighed a ton. She hoped she could be quick and strong enough to open it in time. The bag crumpled as it slipped out of her weakened hands and fell to the floor with a bang. Elijah entered the room a moment after. Hermione slumped onto the bed, utterly defeated, her breathing slowing.

"You have changed your mind then?" He questioned. She stared at him with hollow, glassy eyes and nodded the slightest bit, her lids feeling like bricks, began to close. She heard Elijah curse as he saw the mess from the bag dropping, there were barely a few sips left, but that did not matter, a sip was all she needed. And as she felt herself beginning to slip from the world, A plastic tube was stuck into her mouth, and a taste and smell like no other flooded her senses. She swallowed quickly and what felt like a jolt of electricity coursed through her body. She grabbed the bag out of Elijah's hands and sucked on the makeshift straw greedily, her body coursing with energy. More she thought, she wanted more.

Elijah watched as she struggled to get every last drop out of the bag, her eyes closed tight in her effort. He raised an eyebrow, perplexed at sight before him. The transition was complete, but he had never seen anything like this before. She glowed slightly, not in a mediocre glittering way, but in a magical sort of way, as though she were shining from within. Her skin was pale and blemish-free, He watched as her hair quickly grew from the roots The texture changing from an unmanageable mess to cascading in smooth, loose ringlets down her back. The color darkened to a lovely deep chestnut brown with reddish undertones running through it. The glow subsided seconds later, signaling what be guessed was the completion of her transformation.

He watched as she threw the bag aside and looked up at him. He gasped, staring back at him were dark ruby red eyes with a thick fan of jet black lashes framing them, they shined in the moonlight that was coming in through the window. They were mesmerizing, predatory, calculating eyes. He had never seen anything quite like it before. Elijah looked over her face, her lips were slightly plumper, and a reddish-pink hue as though they were just thoroughly kissed. Her face more angular than before; every aspect of her was perfect. The only off-putting feature were her eyes, well to a human.

"What are you?" He muttered, confused. Hermione raised a perfectly arched brow at him curiously. "What do you mean how?" her voice articulated differently and lacked her usual tenor, it sounded smooth and sultry. Hermione rose from the bed so quick she nearly rammed into the wall, she was not used to moving so quickly. Her eyes darted to every corner of the room, she could see so much clearer than before. It was like perceiving the world through new eyes. She spotted a mirror on the opposite side of the room, it was small, but it would have to do. She was in front of it in an instant, the face looking back at her made her scream.

"What have you done to me!?" She screeched. The girl gazing back at her looked frightened. Her sunkissed skin was now pale porcelain, her freckles disappeared. Her cheekbones looked as though they were jutting out of her face, the round features gone in favor of angles. Her messy bushy hair was now a good twelve inches longer, cascading down her back in smooth ringlets, no frizz or flyaways insight. And if that was not enough, her eyes were red, a dark almost blood red, but not quite. She didn't look human at all. How in Godric's name could this have happened? Elijah looked perfectly normal while she just looked haunted.

Elijah was by her side, examining her features more thoroughly. "I can assure you, I have done nothing that I haven't done before." He touched her arm, it felt cool under his fingertips. "I have never in all my years witnessed anything quite like this."

Hermione was getting more flustered by the second. "So what you are saying is that I am a freak." her voice laced with venom.

"A freak no, remarkable, yes." Came his smooth reply. "How are you currently feeling?"

She took a deep breath, emotions flying all over the place, she was angry and hungry. So, so hungry. But despite all over her feelings, she still felt like herself. She didn't look like herself in any way, shape, or form, but at least she felt like herself, albeit more powerful and in a way she supposed beautiful like a porcelain doll.

"I feel angry, why do I not look like you?" Her nose scrunched as she turned to face him, fangs flashing. "I can hardly mingle with society. I look frightfully inhuman. How can I expect to resume my normal everyday life? This is not what I was assured Elijah Mikealson, I have half a mind to hex you into next week!" Her blood was boiling. "And to top it all off, I am _**hungry.**_ " she hissed.

Elijah was disconcerted by her current situation as well, this was hardly expected. The young woman before him was stunning, but he assumed to a human she would look quite scary, yet he was even doubtful of that; she seemed too perfect to turn anyone away. With a proper pair of contacts to hid her ruby irises, no man or woman would be able to look elsewhere.

"Please do watch your tone with me miss Granger, lest I lose my patience. As I have told you minutes before, I have not the slightest idea of what has transpired to cause your current affliction other than the usual motions used to begin the change."

Elijah reached for her chin and lifted it so that their eyes could meet, his pupil dilating slightly, Hermione could not look away. "You will let go of your anger, and you will find that your current predicament is nothing but a minor inconvenience."

And just like that, all her anger disappeared. She could hardly recall what was bothering her to begin with, so she looked a little different; it was nothing that a few glamour spells couldn't fix.

"Now, Miss Granger, it is about time you learn to hunt." Elijah could not figure out why he was helping her. Why this insignificant girl caught his attention. How could the great Elijah Mikealson, original vampire, reduce himself to being a tutor to some mere teenager. But there was just something so different about her, he had to figure it out. Ever since he caught her outside of that bakery, he followed her, her aura seemed to work at a different frequency, almost magically. Glancing at the girl as she poked at her fangs in the mirror, with a perplexed look on her face, he could almost smile at the sight. He was indeed correct about her being different. He pondered what powers this girl possessed, and he hoped to figure them out soon.

"Elijah, would it be alright if we stopped at my hotel room? I need a change of clothes and to grab a few things." Hermione gestured to her bloodied clothes.

"Of course, that should be no problem." He agreed.

As they walked down the streets with Hermione, asking a million questions about vampirism, its strengths, and weaknesses, Elijah was hit with an overwhelming urge to protect this small creature. Protect her from himself, from the brother who did not even know she existed, and all the heartbreak that came with always and forever.


	5. Crest

They walked quietly through the streets, making their way towards Hermione's hotel room. Thoughts raced through her mind, had she made the right choice, should she have become this monster? Hermione Granger condemned herself to an eternity of drinking blood, human blood to be specific. She was fighting a never-ending battle, morals versus instinct. Glancing up to look at the face of the handsome man at her side, she pondered the millions of questions she wanted to ask him.

"Elijah?" She said, drawing his attention towards her. "Would it be possible to feed without ending a person's life?" He nodded.

"Yes, but it is quite difficult, you must be able to control yourself, it will be hard for you right now. The blood of your mortal life still runs through your veins. You will have little control when the blood lust takes over," He replied. "Few of our kind consume animal blood, as it does little to quench the burn. It weakens them as well. I will teach you how to feed without harming the life of a human if it is that important to you." Hermione grinned and nodded. And that was how the rest of their walk went, Hermione questioned, and Elijah answered until they finally reached her hotel.

The lobby of the hotel was thankfully empty due to the late hour; Hermione made sure to keep her head down as not to catch the eye of any lone wonderer. After a quick elevator ride and a short walk down the hall, the duo reached Hermione's room. The inside was extremely tiny, a place just big enough for a double bed pushed against the farthest wall, a small desk, and the adjacent bathroom.

Elijah watched as she pulled her garments from the suitcase, excused herself, and disappeared into the small bathroom. He heard the shower turn on and the sound of her feet hitting the tile floor, disrupting the steady flow of water. At this point, he made a quick decision to snoop through her belongings. There had to be something, some clue that would explain why this woman was so different from anyone he had ever met. Well, except for one other woman, but that was years ago and just another memory he would like to keep hidden behind the metaphorical red door. Careful not to displace anything, he found at the bottom of the bag a few extremely curious photos, photos that moved. He watched as two boys put an arm over each of her shoulders, securing her in between them laughing as she smiled and rolled her eyes. He continued looking through the rest with an eyebrow raised. He had never seen anything quite like this in all of his years. What was she, he thought. His examination continued, and his eyes rested upon a book that looked extremely old and written in ancient runes. He pulled it out, his hand trailing the letters.

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard." He whispered perplexed. These were runes he had not seen in publication for centuries. What was this doing in the hands of an 18-year-old girl? Just as he was going to flip through the book, he heard the sound of a throat clearing, his head shot up, and his eyes locked with a furious looking Hermione Granger.

"Just what exactly is it you are doing." She questioned, her voice quivering with anger; this was a complete violation of her privacy.

Elijah rose from his crouched position and stood tall.

"I was simply satiating my curiosity." He replied cooly, the book still in hand.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "How dare you violate my privacy." she reached into the pocket of her clean clothes and pulled out a long skinny carved piece of wood and pointed it towards him.

Elijah looked at the stick curiously. "And what exactly do you believe you will accomplish with that?" he questioned. "I am regretful to inform you, but that simple skinny stake will do nothing to harm me." He looked on at her with a bored expression, just waiting for her to attack.

Her heightened emotions were causing her to lash out. This thing she has become was not her. She was taking this situation way out of proportion. She had to admit she would probably do the same thing if she were in his position. She raised her wand a little higher and thought about taking the book back from him, As soon as she thought the words of the Accio spell the book flew out of Elijah's hands with such a force and slammed into her so hard she almost fell back. She clutched the book to her chest and looked up at him with wide eyes. Elijah looked equally surprised, and he began to ponder what the hell had just happened.

"This is impossible." She spoke in a whisper, "I should not be able to do wordless magic."

Elijah stared at her; the puzzle finally was being pieced together. Miss Granger was a witch. He could not understand how she was able to use magic; that should have left her with the change.

"You should not be able to cast any spell." Said Elijah, his voice laced with confusion.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "And why not?" she questioned. "You are a vampire are you not, you should have met multiple witches by now."

"Well, of course, I have Miss Granger, I come from a magical family, but any witch who is turned into a Vampire loses their ability to perform magic of any kind." He stated as though it were common knowledge.

"If that were the case, then how do you explain this?" She pointed her wand towards the suitcase on the floor and channeling the power coursing through her, attempting to control it. She called out confidently "Wingardium Leviosa!" and just as the words came out of her mouth the suitcase floated into the air, she made a show of rocking it back and forth before dropping it back to the floor.

Elijah was still quite perplexed, what kind of incantation was that and why was she still waving the thin stake around. And then he remembered, around the fifteenth century when he was in England playing noblemen with his brother Niklaus. The strange people he witnessed with wands, they feared the Mikaelson's and Niklaus's rage. It had been so long ago, but he remembered it clearly now, yes, these people with a magic all their own. A magic Niklaus wanted so much for himself. He had tried to change multiple into vampires back then, but they had all failed. What made this witch before him so special?

"I did not realize your kind still existed," said Elijah.

"Whatever do you mean," Hermione retorted. "You were just speaking of witches!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, Hermione, witches very much unlike yourself. Witches who do not need a wand to perform magic."

"I do not understand; there are no other types of witch or wizard. There can not be! I would have read about it at Hogwarts!" she shook her head. "It's impossible."

He rolled his eyes impatiently. "We do not have time for your nonsense. I have no reason to lie to you at this present moment if you do not wish to believe me then that is on you. We will be continuing this discussion at a later date, I assure you, but for now, you must feed. And then we will go on a visit to meet a dear old friend who owes me a favor, Madame Pierre, to retrieve a proper daylight ring for you." He adjusted his tie and snapped his fingers. "Retrieve your things; you will not be staying here any longer. I have not the slightest inkling as to why I wish to assist you, but your training will begin immediately."

She looked at him with anger oozing from her pores. "How dare you order me around like some sort of enslaved House Elf! What gives you the right to speak to me so dismi-" He cut her off.

"We both know how this will eventually end. Now be a good girl and hurry up. I will await you in the hall." He then turned on his heels, walked out the room, leaving the echo of the door slamming, resounding through the room.

"How dare he," she mumbled as she threw everything haphazardly into her suitcase. She sighed in exasperation and muttered a spell, the luggage shrank, and she placed it into her beaded bag. Her passing reflection in the mirror of the open bathroom caught her attention once more; she was still feeling unsettled with her ruby irises. Grabbing her wand once more, she cast a glamour charm on them, turning them into a weird muddy brown color. The tone wasn't quite right, but it would have to do. With a final check through the room, she made her way to the bossy vampire in the hall.

Hermione exited her room, closing it quietly behind her. She looked to her right and found Elijah leaned up against the wall with his eyes closed, a pained expression on his face. She raised her brow at the sight; he appeared was deep in thought. Clearing her throat caused his eyes to pop open. They stared at each other for a few awkward moments, neither knowing what to say. He rubbed his face and straightened himself back into the role of the perfect gentleman.

"I apologize for speaking to you so harshly. I was out of line." He ran a hand through his hair. "I had no right to go through your belongings. Curiosity got the better of me; I'm afraid."

"Thank you; I apologize for my temper. I would have done the same thing if I were in your position." Admitted Hermione.

Elijah nodded and accepted her apology. She smiled for him, with a warmth that shined through her pale skin. He was not a man who usually apologized for anything, but there was something about the young witch in front of him. He could feel just how special she was, The first magical vampire in existence. An aura surrounded her that called him towards her. And just like that he knew, Hermione Granger was somehow going to be the most important person in his world, and he would protect her at all costs. She was a secret he hoped would never reach Niklaus.

* * *

As the days turned into weeks, the duo got closer and closer. The visit to Madame Pierre proved to be rather interesting, the old witch was terrified of Hermione, but she gave them what they had gone for, a wonderous daylight ring. They obliviated the poor witch shortly after, to keep the secret Hermione and Elijah both were keen on hiding. He taught her how to fight without relying on magic. Hermione also learned she no longer needed a wand and used it mostly out of habit.

Elijah taught her how to feed without harming the victims. Her use of potions also proved to be quite helpful.

The night before she set to return to England, Hermione told him stories of Hogwarts, Voldemort, and her best friends Harry and Ron. How she was hated for the status of her blood. She told him how they were on the run for the better part of the year, she told him of Bellatrix and her torture. The faint words of mudblood still rested onto her arm, thanks to the cursed knife, although she was grateful that it had faded to be nearly invisible.

Elijah told her of his family, stories he had not even told Hayley. He spoke of is tyrannical brother and the miracle that was his niece, Hope, how Hope had changed Klaus for the better. He told her of the ancient Hallow that was keeping his family apart. How he had asked Marcel to compel him, and how that broke apart the moment Klaus visited him in France. He told her how he ran away, how he hid from his family, because he knew if they called, he'd run to them and it would destroy everything. And lastly, he told her of Always and Forever.

She cried for him that evening, for everything he had done and sacrificed, for everything he had lost. And for the pain that came with the vow of always and forever. He held her that night through the tears, pleading to her to stop, for he believed that he was not worth them. Through her sobs, she watched as silent tears streamed down his cheeks. She reached for him and held him in a tight embrace, and they cried for each other before falling asleep, weeks of being awake had taken a toll, and for the first time in ages, entangled in each other's arms, neither of them had a single nightmare.

The morning Hermione was set to leave was indeed a rough one. She hurriedly packed up her bags, Elijah had disappeared prior to her waking, leaving nothing but a note ensuring he would be back in time to take her to the airport. She held her breath as she looked around the room, taking in the beachside villa she had called home these past weeks. She caught sight of one of his shirts, draped over the back of the sofa. Hermione reached for it, pulling it to her nose and inhaling deeply. His masculine scent invaded her senses, and she had to choke back a sob; she knew if someone were to brew Amortentia, it would smell exactly like this.

If she were honest with herself, she did not want to go back, sure she missed her friends, but that was quite literally a lifetime ago, she didn't know how to act around them anymore. One thing was for certain; she would not be letting anyone in on her predicament. And most importantly, she did not want to leave Elijah. She felt more connected to him than anyone else in the world, and he knew everything about her. She told him things she hadn't even told Harry or Ron. With a sigh, she hurriedly placed the shirt into her luggage, a memento of his delicious scent.

The front door opened just as she zipped her bag shut. She heard his footsteps make their way towards her. "Sleep well?" He asked.

Hermione smiled. "Better than I have in a long time."

Elijah studied her face and made his way towards her; his eyes scanning her held a sense of worry. "I'm glad." he cleared his throat. "I have something to give you before you go. A gift, something to remember me by."

She watched him incredulously, her heartbreaking at the implications of his words; this was truly goodbye. Swallowing the lump in her throat, looking up to meet his gaze, she raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a beautiful silver necklace, a pendant hanging from its chain. Before she could get a proper look at it, he motioned for her to turn around. Placing the charm at the base of her throat, he clasped the necklace shut. He pulled her towards the mirror and stood behind her, a hand resting on her shoulder.

Hermione stepped closer to examine the pendant. It appeared to be a family crest, an ornate M at the center with beautiful filigree surrounding it. Inlaid in the letter itself were beautiful tiny emeralds.

Elijah was the first to break the silence. "It's the Mikealson family crest. I consider you to be a Mikealson now. Where ever you go, anyone from my world will know that you are under our protection." He smiled at her. "You have become one of the most significant souls in my life, Hermione. And I hope that you will keep this close to your heart as I will keep you close to mine. Always and Forever."

Once again, Hermione was brought to tears in less than twenty-four hours. She grabbed him by his lapels and pulled him down to her level, kissing him with such a force she was surprised he was still standing. He quickly reciprocated, his initial shock wearing off. She pulled back, their foreheads touching as they took a few deep breaths.

"I will never take this off," Hermione promised him. "But please stop acting as though this will be the last time we see each other, I couldn't bear it."

Elijah trailed a finger down the side of her face before pulling a stray curl back behind her ear. "Hermione, I can not promise you this will not be the last time we see each other. My family could very well find me at any moment, and if things go wrong with the Hallow, well, let's just say there are ways to end even an original."

She shook her head, tears threatening to spill over once more. "Then come with me, you will be safe there. I've told you all about Hogsmeade already. It's completely hidden from the rest of the world. You even forgot my kind existed. Please, Elijah."

He pondered for a moment, entwining his hand with hers. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I will think about it, I promise." clearing his throat, he pulled away. "Now, to get you to the airport, you're already late."

The drive had been uneventful and relatively silent. They held hands the whole way to the airport and throughout the terminal until she had to go through security. "Promise, you'll write me?" questioned Hermione.

"You have my word."

She nodded, wanting to giggle at the typical Elijah answer. "I guess this is goodbye. I'll miss you, Elijah..so much." She turned quickly, not wanting him to see her cry for the umpteenth time.

"Wait! Hermione!" He pulled her by the arm and spun her around, placing his lips onto hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck; they fit together like two perfect puzzle pieces. A few moments later, he pulled back. "Farewell, Hermione, until we meet again." She swallowed, nodded, giving him one final hug before entering the security checkpoint. She didn't look back.

* * *

 **PRESENT DAY**

Hermione beamed at the letter held firmly in her hands. Her thoughts were struggling to gather themselves in her excited state. She quickly made her way towards the desk and penned a quick reply to him, assuring him that she would indeed meet him at Hogsmede. She carefully tied the note to the Raven's leg and watched as it took flight into the night sky. She stayed like that for a while, lost in her thoughts, staring at the stars.

Hermione wondered where he currently was if he missed her and if he wanted to kiss her again. With a shake of her head, she smiled, shut the window and made her way towards her bed. And although she did not need to, she went to sleep and dreamt of the brown eyes she knew so well change into the color of molten steel, and flash red with hunger.


End file.
